The Bimini twist is considered to be the most important knot in fishing. It is used primarily for double-line leaders and offshore trolling, but is also popular with inshore and fly fishermen or for any fishing need which must achieve 100% knot strength, i.e. where the knot retains 100% of the original strength of the line. The Bimini twist allows for the doubling of a fishing line by creating a long loop of fishing line which becomes stronger than the line itself. However, it is a fairly complex knot to tie, requiring a number of steps, in which the fisherman must not only use both hands, but may also use one of his feet and sometimes his lower body. Tying a Bimini twist longer than about five feet usually requires two people.
Since an improperly tied Bimini twist can result in lost fish and equipment, it is imperative that the knot be tied correctly. The difficulty in tying the Bimini twist, however, often results in poorly tied knots or in the fisherman not even attempting to tie the knot at all.
Surprisingly, there are relatively few jigs especially developed to assist in tying Bimini twists. One such device is that which is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,871,200. This device, referred to as a “fixture” in the patent, is a fairly complex piece of machinery with many parts. It is impractical to use, not portable, and its design makes its manufacture expensive. Other knot jigs are not configured to facilitate the tying of Bimini twists.